"I consulted with the Sinologists of our Foreign Ministry": Moskvina on new programs, the importance of the Grand Prix and rivalry with Tutberidze

- In the Olympic season, your wards with Artur Minchuk, world champions Anastasia Mishina / Alexander Gallyamov and European champions Alexandra Boykova / Dmitry Kozlovsky are favorites.

What were you guided by when choosing themes for the Olympic productions?

- For both couples I chose the music and those programs that, in my opinion, can be well received by both specialists and the public.

So that they satisfy the tastes and expectations of a wide variety of groups, let's put it this way.

- Did you do any kind of curtsey towards the Chinese public?

- In China, classical music is very popular and loved.

But even knowing this, before making a final choice regarding a particular performance, I consulted with Chinese specialists, with the Sinologists of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asked them how famous the music I am talking about is in the country, how it can be perceived ...

Based on this, we came to a decision.

- I know that you spend a lot of time on the Internet.

- Not now.

There is simply no time.

But I certainly do read a few things.

- So, you should be aware that on many resources where figure skating is discussed, your choice is criticized, and sometimes mercilessly.

Although personally to me criticism in relation to both couples seemed rather premature.

I suppose when the programs are rolled in and executed with all the intended elements, they will start to give a completely different impression.

- Criticism reached me, while I found two articles in which about what you said about our programs was written.

When everything is finished and rolled in, everything will fall into place.

- Do you admit at least a hypothetical possibility that any of the four productions will be replaced during the season?

- Everything is possible in life.

Literally on the eve of our conversation, I was driving in a car and heard on the radio that a military coup had taken place in Guinea.

Did someone predict it?

Moreover, many programs or music to them change during the season.

As already done by the same Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov.

It also happened to me that during the season I had to change the music for one reason or another.

Let's see.

It certainly doesn't make sense to discuss all this now.

- Do you want to say that you need to wait until the judges see the programs of your skaters?

- For me in this respect it is more important what I see myself.

It’s the same for me to make the final decision.

The Olympics are still far enough away, so I'm not worried ahead of time.

We really have a lot of work to do.

Refine the music - including.

We have already changed some points - right after those skates that took place in St. Petersburg.

- One of your pairs entered the Skate America tournament, which opens the Grand Prix series in October.

Do you plan to show your skaters somewhere before?

- Necessarily.

Unfortunately, it so happened that we actually have only one start, convenient for both Mishina / Gallyamov and Boykova / Kozlovsky.

This is the Finlandia Trophy (the tournament will take place on October 7-9 in Espoo

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).

- Will both of your couples perform there?

- Yes.

I would like, of course, to avoid a situation in which my athletes will take places and rating points from each other, but, unfortunately, we have no choice.

The remaining tournaments are simply inconvenient for us.

Somewhere there are no high-level rivals, somewhere the competitions are held at times that are not at all suitable for us.

Therefore, Artur Minchuk and I decided that there are much more advantages from the performance of both couples in Finland than disadvantages.

- Boykova and Kozlovsky will start the Grand Prix series from the very first stage in the USA, that is, in October, while the first start of Mishina and Gallyamov is scheduled for mid-November in Japan.

Does this mean that you are preparing your duets on a different schedule?

- The eyeliner schemes are certainly different.

Just in connection with what you said.

- How important is the Grand Prix series for figure skaters in the Olympic season?

- It seems to me that such competitions are important in any season, and especially in the Olympic one.

Any start on the eve of the Games is a test of the athletes' readiness, the dynamics of their form, and the readiness of programs.

It is imperative to compete, compare yourself with others, develop not only physical fitness, but also an inner confidence that everything is done correctly: the elements become more stable, the grades for the components grow.

- During the stages of the Grand Prix, both of your couples will meet with Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov.

Did the transfer of two-time European champions to Eteri Tutberidze bother you in any way?

Or added excitement?

- Actually, our couples have very clear plans to work not only with me and Arthur, but also with each of the specialists, of whom there are quite a few in our team.

And these plans are made without taking into account which of the rivals left whom and to whom passed.

- But you look around, read what they write?

- Of course, we look, if there is such an opportunity.

We try to keep track of who skates how, what programs, ligaments, entries on elements are delivered, where the development of pair skating in general is moving.

In short, we are trying to get and process the maximum of the most diverse information.

At the same time, I'm not too interested in being guided by who and how performed in the past, from whom exactly skated, what titles they won.

What matters is what is happening now.

Especially when it comes to competitors.

And this is not some kind of separately taken pair, but at least the entire first six of the world championship.

We have great respect for all the specialists who train athletes, but who of the skaters who left whom and where did they go here is still a second time.

Some changes are constantly taking place in our brigade, but we do not shout about it at every corner?

- Why, by the way?

- Because only the end result matters.

To show it at the right time is the main goal of all our work.

It will work out - then we will discuss everything in detail.

And premature words do not say anything at all.